LiBa Shiatsu Neck & Back Massager Pillow Review

Since we’ve been reviewing massagers, we’ve had a hard time working out why everyone doesn’t have a massager of some sort in their home. Having a massager means that you can have a massage whenever you want on demand. Many of these massagers are affordable and highly versatile too. They’re small enough to be easily stowed and can then be placed on whatever part of the body you fancy giving the massage to.

Now think of all the times that that would come in handy. You could come home from a hard day in the office and then get a mechanical neck massage while watching the TV. Or you could get an upper back massage while you relax in bed and let it soothe you to sleep. What about taking it to work with you and having a full shiatsu massage while you do your work?
The health benefits are obvious and at the same time, you’ll make every activity just that little bit more enjoyable.
Once you’ve decided this is a good idea though, the next step is deciding which massager you want to use. We’ve reviewed the LiBa Shiatsu Neck & Back Massager Pillow here, which is a fantastic ‘entry level’ massager that is affordable and particularly versatile.

What you need to know

This massager comes in the ‘pillow’ form factor. That means that the LiBa Shiatsu Neck & Back Massager Pillow is shaped like a pillow to be placed behind the neck while reclining on a sofa or a reclining chair. It can also be placed against the small of the back while sitting up though, or used in a variety of other configurations: such as under the feet.

The design is a little different from many of the other pillow massagers on the market however. This one features an ‘ergonomic u-shaped design’, which will allow it to fit more easily against the contours of your neck or your back. This is a nice touch, as many of these pillows are too bulging and will push into your back rather. The type of massage on offer here is shiatsu. However, it describes itself as being a ‘hot stone massage’ thanks to the heating component. Don’t be fooled though: this is a very common feature in massagers and not something unique to this particular product.

The LiBa Shiatsu Neck & Back Massager Pillow is corded but does come with a car adaptor, which is a nice touch as it means you can enjoy it in the car on long journeys as a passenger.

Pros and Cons

The thing we were most impressed with during our testing was the u-shaped design. While many massage pillows are somewhat bulging and rounded, this one fits much more comfortably against the back or around the neck and will then massage you from multiple directions.

We also loved the small size. This is a small and light massager even for the pillow category. The three year warranty also wins this product points and suggests the manufacturers have faith in what they’re selling.

What we didn’t like though, was the cord which is always a limiting factor in these devices. This is a very affordable massager, so if you want to go cordless, you might have to pay a little more.

The other limitation here is simply the selection of different modes and settings which is… sparse. The device can alternate between clockwise and anticlockwise, which is about it. It also doesn’t mention the number of nodes/motors, which leads us to assume it has the minimum amount (two).

Conclusions

This is a very basic product then and certainly only an entry level massager. Some people reading this will be very happy with that though, especially as the price reflects that fact. What’s more, is that this is a very small, light and versatile massager. The u-shaped design meanwhile makes it particularly ergonomic and much more enjoyable to use as a result. Overall, this is an excellent product and will be a great way to test out massagers for the first time if you’re not accustomed to them yet. It comes recommended but as long as you know what to expect and are happy to start with something basic.